New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency on Monday in response to a measles outbreak. The emergency order expands the pool of medical professionals authorized to administer the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine as infections climb in under-immunized rural communities.
Emergency Declaration Expands Vaccine Access Across New York
The statewide disaster emergency took effect on Monday and runs through November 4. Of those total infections, 92 have occurred since July 15 across 18 rural counties, marking a substantial surge well above typical annual levels. Seven cases are located within New York City, while 101 are spread across other parts of the state.
The emergency order introduces several immediate operational changes to combat the spread. Registered nurses are now authorized to order the collection and testing of specimens for suspected measles cases. Pharmacists may also administer the MMR vaccine to children as young as age two. The directive also mandates that all MMR vaccinations be reported to state or New York City immunization registries within 72 hours, while waiving adult consent requirements specifically for that reporting process. Actual vaccination procedures still require explicit consent from patients or their legal guardians.
Dr. John Sellick, hospital epidemiologist for Kaleida Health, noted the intense transmissibility of the virus during an interview on The Disabilities Beat produced by btpm.org.
“Measles is highly contagious. It’s one of the most contagious infectious diseases that we have in humans.”
Dr. John Sellick
While New York swiftly declared a state of emergency and moved to secure federal backing, Pennsylvania waited months to request assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and has not issued an emergency declaration, despite logging more than 1,000 cases since April.
Governor Hochul plans to submit a detailed and specific request for assistance from the federal government, including support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC, according to her spokesperson Nicolette Simmonds (Reuters).
“No state can address this on its own, which is why the governor will partner with anyone who can support our efforts to protect New Yorkers,”
Nicolette Simmonds
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discussed potential federal support during a call with Hochul, connecting her with CDC Director Erica Schwartz (Reuters). Federal health officials have stated they stand ready to support New York’s outbreak response (Reuters). However, federal assistance has become politically charged due to Kennedy’s previous questioning of state-reported measles deaths, a dispute that contributed to Pennsylvania resisting CDC help after Kennedy contested the virus’s role in local fatalities (Reuters).
Measles Mimics Respiratory Illness Before Rash Appears
Medical professionals emphasize that measles frequently mimics standard respiratory illnesses during its initial phase. Charlene Ludlow, senior vice president of nursing at Erie County Medical Center, explained the infection timeline on The Disabilities Beat (btpm.org).
“They got a high fever, they’ve got respiratory symptoms, but then three or four days later, here comes the rash that says, ‘Uh-oh, this isn’t the flu. This isn’t something else. This is measles.’ By that point, now you’ve got people exposed.”
Charlene Ludlow
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